ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Over 400 Rhode Island small
business people and consumers faxed, called and signed petitions into Gov.
Donald Carcieri's office requesting that he veto an anti-consumer,
anti-small business bill, House Bill 7705. But, rather than listen to the
pleas of Rhode Island's small businesses and consumers, he threw a monkey
wrench at them by allowing the bill to become law on July 12, 2006.
HB 7705 states that for any automobile which is LESS than thirty (30)
months beyond the date of manufacture, the insurer and the auto body repair
shop must provide a written notice to the vehicle owner that he or she is
entitled to "original equipment manufacturer parts (OEM) in the repair of a
motor vehicle body replacement part. To comply with this provision, written
notice may be provided on the appraisal written on behalf of the insurer
and the estimate prepared by the auto body repair shop.
"This is in violation of federal law known as the Magnuson-Moss Act,
passed in the 1970s, which prohibits repairs from being tied to warranties.
And, the less than 30 months is definitely within the warranty period,"
stated Sandy Bass-Cors, Executive Director for the Coalition for Auto
Repair Equality (CARE). Consumers don't have to sign for car dealer parts.
"This was truly a 'dead-of-night' bill. House Bill 7705 was in the
Senate Commerce, House and Municipal Government Committee as a 'Study
Bill'. The Committee Chairman, Senator Frank Caprio, unexpectedly called a
meeting at 1 a.m. and passed the bill. House Bill 7705 quickly went to the
floor and then the Governor's desk," stated Bass-Cors.
"Laws such as HB 7705 plant the seeds of doubt in consumers' minds as
to the high quality of aftermarket parts, making the aftermarket parts
sound inferior. In actuality, aftermarket parts and car dealer parts are
manufactured by the same companies, the only differences are that the
aftermarket parts cost up to 50 percent less than car dealer parts and
aftermarket parts come with life-time or long-term warranties, which car
dealer parts do not.
"All this legislation does is intimidate consumers into buying higher-
priced parts. House Bill 7705 hurts low and fixed income motorists, hurts
small businesses and will eventually hurt the Rhode Island economy that
depends on a competitive auto repair industry. No one gains from passage of
HB 7705, except those selling car dealer parts," said Bass-Cors.
In addition to Rhode Island's small businesses who requested the
Governor's veto, the Department of Business & Regulations, an original
supporter of the bill, requested that the Governor not allow this bill to
become law.
"Rhode Island's independent repair locations number nearly 700. House
Bill 7705 will make it much more difficult for them to repair and sell
parts," concluded Bass-Cors.
CARE represents companies in the automotive aftermarket, among them:
NAPA, Midas, CARQUEST, AutoZone, Advance Auto, Jiffy Lube, O'Reilly's and
others. Five million people nationwide are employed in the aftermarket in
over 495,000 locations, including "mom and pop" shops.